Float-operated valve



Oct. 7, 1930; c. 1 RAYFIELD 1,777,533

FLOAT OPERATED VALVE l Original Filed April 28, 1928 i lg: j :iE-.65

4 v 3 3 bly Patented Oct. 7, 1930 UNITED STATES,

PATENTOFFICB.

CHARLES L. nAYrInLnor CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoR To RAYFIELL MANUFAC- 'rUnING co., oF cHIcAGdILLINoIsn oonIonA'rIoN or ILLINoIs FLOAT-OPERATED VALVE y l original application mea Apriiaa, 192s, serial 170.273,49?. Divided and` thisl replication inea November f 192s. serial No. 319,530. i i

This invention relates tofvalve construction and more particularly to a float controlled valve especially adapted for use 1n connection with oil burner systems andthe like. v

An object of the invention residesrin the provision ofI a valve of the same general construction as the one disclosed in my copending patent application, Serial No. 243,359, filed December 29th, 1927, wherein the parts are much more compactly arranged than they are in the structure of my copending application. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide a lloat controlled valve automatically closable through the means of a'wedging action when the fluid acting upon thefloat of the valve has risen to a predetermined level.

The present subject matter is divisional of my copending patent application, Serial No.

273,497, filed April 28th, 1928.

Other lobjects and advantages of the vpresent invention will `more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a single embodiment thereof and to which: i' y Figure lis a vertical sectional view, taken through the auxiliary tank anddrawn to an enlarged scale, illustratingthe' float con trolled valve mechanism therein for maintalrliing a predetermined level of liquid in the ta "Figure 2 is a sectional view taken onlthe ist line II-II of Figure 1 and. illustrating in detail the float controlled vent.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view` taken on the .line IIL-III of Figurel looking downwardly. y y j ,y Y i Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 1. i

On thedrawings: u A

The reference character 21 designates the inlet of a tank 22 which inlet is connected to a liquid supply line 20. The linlet 21 to the tank 22 is partially delined by a boss 24which has threaded into it the lower end of a pipe 25. This pipe 25extends upwardly through a bore in the center of a cylindrical float 26 slidably mounted upon the pipe 25. The up Vconstitute a toggle.

per end of the pipe 25 is threaded into an opening 27 in valve body 30. ATheboreV of the pipe'25 communicates with an inlet 31 formed in the valve body. This inlet 31 terminates atV its upper end in the circular recess 32 formed in the valve body. Positioned in the circular recess 32 is a rotary valveor ringmember 33 which has formed in a portion of its peripher-y at the lower end a transverse slot 34`opening to the exterior and adapted to be aligned with the inlet opening 31m the valve body 30.

The valvebody` has formed in one of its sides (Figure 2) a vertical recess 36 through which extends a rod 37 having itsinner end threaded into the rotary valve member 33 and having its other and outer end nrovided to spaced vertical bars 42hingedly secured at their lower ends to the float 26, as indicated at 43. The barsv 42and adjacent arms of the lever 40, which comprise a portionof the mechanism for moving "the valve member,

T he upper end of the `rotary valvemember 33 is cutaway, as indicated .at-45, in order to form an arcuate'depression" in the periphery 1 of the rotary valve memberBr.` y This depression 45, as shown in Figure 3].,leXtends across thetop of the valve member. Positioned on the curved surface delining the arcuate de pression45 is a cylindrical transverse wedging pin 46. The valve body 30 has formed in it a transverse slot 47 disposed above the depression 45 in the valve member 33 and adapted to receive and accommodate pin 46.

The pin is held within the body30 by means of' washers 48 secured to sides of the valve body 30hy bolts 49.` The washers 48 are adapted to prevent the -pin 46 from being displaced from the slot 47. V

Formed integral with the upper end Vof the valve body 30 is a boss 50 having a substantially central opening 51 (Figure 1.) Thread'- i ed into the opening 51 is an adjustable pin 52, the lower end of which is adapted to project into the vicinity of the slot 47. Threaded onto the upper end of this adjustable pin 52 is a locknut adapted to engage the top of the boss 50. It will be evidentthatby varying the position of the pin 52 it is possible to limit the upward travel of thepin 46 lin In Figurev l I have illustrated the position of the parts of the valve when the valve is in its open position. Vhen the valve is open, the slot 34 will be disposed in register with the inlet opening 31 inthe valve body 3.0 and the fioat 26 will be disposed in its vlowermost position.k .Also the wedging pin 46 will be disposed out of engagement withthe lower end of the shank on pin52 and will be resting on the arcuate surface defining the depression 45 in the upper end of the rotaryvalve mem,- ber33. f Now it will be evident that as the liquid level rises in the tank or container 22, the float 26 will gradually be elevated. When the liquid in the container has reached a predetermined level, the iioat will have traveled to its uppermost position. Theupward movement of the iioat results in the'rotation ofthe valve member 33 in a clockwise direction (Figure 1),. Obviously as this member 33fis turned the arcuate surface on its upper end defining depression 45 gradually raises pin y4 6 kup into the transverse slot 47 in the body 30. Y This upward movementof the pin 46 will continue until it strikes the shank on the adjustable stud or pin 52. When this occurs the slot 34 will no longer vbe in registerv with the inletpassageway31 in the valve body 30.

The upward pressure exerted on the float 26 will thereafterbe translated intoy ay wedging pressure between the upper end ofthe rotary member 33 and the pin 46. This wedging pressure will forcethe lower end of the rotaryk valve memberfinto-ltight enga-gement with the lower portion ofthewall defining theocircular recess ,32. A, In other words, the force of `this wedging action willbe applied to the portionsofthe ring member 33 diametrica lyropposite thepin 46. Obviously since theV inlet passage way `31 in the valve vbody 30 is ,located diametrically opposite the t pin 46,'itnecessarily follows that the rotary valve member33 will be wedged into tight engagement with the portion of theV valve body 30 adjacent the dischargeorifice of the inlet passageway 31. The. resultV o f `this wedging action will-be tocause the valve member to so tightly engage the valve body at the inletrpas'sageway 31 as to prevent any liquid from seeping into the container 22 past ghe lower edge of the rotary ,valve member It will also b e evident that as the liquid is withdrawn from the container 22 through the outlet 60, thefloat 26 will. move downwardly thus allowing the slot 34 in the rotary valve member 33 to be again brought into register with the inlet passageway 31, at which time liquid will vbe allowed to flow into the container.

Attention is also directed to the fact that by adjusting the position of pin 52 it is possible to vary the wedging action exerted upon the rotaryvval've membei` 33 as well as to vary the time'iY in which this action will ltake place. For example, if the shank of the pinv 52 is moved downwardly further into thetransverse slot 47, this will mean .that

vless movement'on tliepartof" the Vfloatv 26 Will'be necessary in order to bring about the wedging action. Moreover, since the float 26 will then be ina position to tightly close the valve sooner than before, it necessarily Afollows that the'valve will be closed when Ythreaded into the top 61 and having thread- .ed on its outerportion ai cap 64. lThe inner end of the plug is provided with a head 65. Extending through the vbore of the plug 63 is the upper` end of a rod 66 which has threaded on its uppermost extremity a nut 67. Secured to, the lowerportion of the rodv 66, or that portion which Vextends into the container 22, is a float 70. It will be noted that the upper vend ofthe rod 66 is of a slightly less diameter than the lower end of the rod and that at the junction of this reduced end of the rod with the rest of the rod is a tapered shoulder 71.

It will be-evident that as liquid flows into .the` container 22 it willdisplace airA therefrom. This airV will, as long as the float 70 is inthe position shown in Figure 2, escape upwardly through the space between the reduced end of rod 66 and the wall defining the boreof the'lplug 63 into the atmosphere. However, as soon as the level of the liquid has risen t'o agiven point the oat'70, onV rod 66 will 'rise causing shoulder 71 to engage the head of the plug 63 at the bore of the plug. This williprevent anyfurther air from either leaving or entering thecontainer 22. That is to say, as long 'as the predetermined level Vof. liquid is maintained in the container 22, `the inside of the containerV is completely dis- ,v

connected from the surrounding atmosphere. Now, of course, it is to be understood that although I have illustratedr and described in detail, the preferred form of. my invention,

the invention is not to be thuslimited, but

only in so far as defined by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a valve, a valve body having a recess and an inlet passageway formed therein having its innermost end terminating at the recess, a rotary valve member positioned in the recess and having a slot opening to the exterior and adapted to be registered with said inlet passageway when the valve is in its open position, means for rotating said valve member to bring said slot out of register with said passageway, and means adapted when said slot is out of register with the passageway to wedge the valve member intotight engagement with the valve body at the discharge orice of the passageway to prevent seepage of fluid past the valve member, said means comprising a float, a rod extending through a slot formed in said valve body and connected at one end to said'valve member and mechanism including a toggle for connecting the rod tothe float.

2. In a valve, a pair of substantially concentric members, one of said members being movable relative to the other member, means for moving said movable member, a fluid passageway in said other member, said movable member having a fluid passageway opening to the exterior and adapted to be aligned with the passageway in said other member, and means operable by the movement of said movable member to a position wherein its passageway is out of register with the passageway in the other member for wedging said members together, whereby a mechanical i seal is formed between the members at the lbody and in communication with said passageway, a movable valve member in said recess, means for moving said movable member' relative to said valve body including a float slidably mounted on said tube and connected to said movable member, said movable member having a fluid passageway opening to the exterior and arranged for alignment with said passageway in the valve body, and means operable by the movement of said movable member to a position wherein its passageway is out of register with the passageway in the valve body for wedging said members to get-her so as to establish a mechanical seal between the members.

4. In a valve, a valve body having a recess and a passageway in communication with said recess, a tube connected to said valve body and in communication with said passageway, a movable valve member in said recess, means for moving said movable member relative to said valve'body including a float slidably mounted on said tube and connected to said movable member by mechanism including a toggle and a rod extending through a slot in the valve body to the movable member, said movablemember having a fluid passageway opening to the exterior and arranged for alignment with said passageway in the valve body, and means operable by the movement of said movable member to a position wherein its passageway is out of register with the passageway in the valve body for wedging said members together so as to establish a mechanical seal between the members.

5. In a valve, a valve body having an aperture, a tubular member arranged for communication with said aperture, a valve member for controlling the connection of said aperture with the exterior of said valve body, wedge means :torholding said valve member in a given posit-ion and a iioat movable on said tubular member for operating said valve member and for bringing said wedge means into operation. Y

6. In a valve, a valve body having an aperture, a tubular member arranged for communication with said aperture, a valve member for controlling the connection of said aperture with the exterior of said valve body, a float movable on said tubular member for operating said valve member, and means `for automatically wedging said valve member against said body when said valve member is in a given position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at San Francisco,San Francisco County, California.

CHARLES L. RAYFIELD. 

